Gas turbine engines may typically include a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine, with an annular flow path extending axially through each. Initially, air flows through the compressor where it is compressed or pressurized. The combustor then mixes and ignites the compressed air with fuel, generating hot combustion gases. These hot combustion gases are then directed from the combustor to the turbine where power is extracted from the hot gases by causing blades of the turbine to rotate.
Various parts of the gas turbine engine, such as compressor or turbine rotor blades, are susceptible to cracking from stress, fatigue and damage (e.g. foreign object debris). This damage can reduce the life of the part, requiring repair or replacement. To protect parts from crack initiation and propagation, residual compressive stresses can be imparted into the part by a material improvement process, such as shot peening, laser shock peening (LSP), pinch peening, and low plasticity burnishing (LPB). However, current application techniques of material improvement processes alter the profile or geometry of the part. For example, when an airfoil is treated with LSP, there is a distortion in twist and/or lean of the airfoil. Accordingly, there exists a need for a method to minimize the distortion in parts due to material improvement processes. This invention is directed to solving this need and others.